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@Korea, South
Introduction Korea, South
Background:
Korea was an independent kingdom under Chinese suzerainty for most
of the past millennium. Following its victory in the Russo-Japanese
War in 1905, Japan occupied Korea; five years later it formally
annexed the entire peninsula. After World War II, a republic was set
up in the southern half of the Korean Peninsula while a
Communist-style government was installed in the north. During the
Korean War (1950-53), US and other UN forces intervened to defend
South Korea from North Korean attacks supported by the Chinese. An
armistice was signed in 1953, splitting the peninsula along a
demilitarized zone at about the 38th parallel. Thereafter, South
Korea achieved rapid economic growth with per capita income rising
to roughly 14 times the level of North Korea. In 1987, South Korean
voters elected ROH Tae-woo to the presidency, ending 26 years of
military dictatorships. South Korea today is a fully functioning
modern democracy. In June 2000, a historic first North-South summit
took place between the South's President KIM Tae-chung and the
North's leader KIM Jong Il.
Geography Korea, South
Location:
Eastern Asia, southern half of the Korean Peninsula bordering the
Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea
Geographic coordinates:
37 00 N, 127 30 E
Map references:
Asia
Area:
total: 98,480 sq km
land: 98,190 sq km
water: 290 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Indiana